The Orange County Community Foundation’s mission is to encourage, support and facilitate philanthropy in Orange County. Since 1989, we have partnered with local nonprofit organizations and generous donors to improve life in our community.

Through ConnectOC, we are making local knowledge and networks available as never before—to all who want to make a difference in Orange County.

Connect OC

The dream of a more vibrant, prosperous Orange County is within our reach. To achieve it, we must understand and confront difficult realities faced by too many of our residents. And we must coordinate our response so that every effort counts.

These are the aims of ConnectOC, an initiative of the Orange County Community Foundation with support from visionary leaders, generous donors and hardworking organizations across our community. ConnectOC surfaces local knowledge vital to the county’s well-being—and suggests strategies and opportunities to make life better for all of us who call Orange County home.

The issues are connected

High cost of living and unemployment create extraordinary challenges for people living in deep pockets of poverty adjacent to great affluence

Families who struggle with basic needs are more likely to suffer from poor health and well-being, which negatively impacts children’s educational achievement

Lack of education drives lower incomes and limited ability access to meet basic needs, creating a negative cycle that can continue for generations

The future of Orange County depends on how well we handle three major issues that today drive down quality of life for thousands of residents and our community as a whole. These issues are tough, entrenched and interrelated. High cost of living and low-paying jobs leave many without sufficient means. And it’s hard to work or learn while hungry, hurting or homeless. Unemployed adults and under-educated children are greatly challenged to find pathways out of poverty.

The Community Foundation thanks McKinsey & Company, a global consulting firm, for pro bono support in analyzing multiple sets of data and summarizing key findings on the safety net for our most vulnerable residents, the health and wellness of our community, and the education of our youth.

The solution involves you

Orange County’s issues are connected—and so are you. ConnectOC puts you in touch with critical information, promising approaches and a growing community of partners who share your passion for this county. Already, we are making strides toward the dream we share for Orange County.